Recall Sam Adams efforts get started

Jasun Wurster, the chief petitioner in the grassroots campaign to recall Portland Mayor Sam Adams, today announced a series of training sessions for volunteer signature gatherers beginning Thursday and lasting through the weekend.

Wurster said he has nearly 700 people who've expressed interest in collecting the 32,183 valid signatures from Portland residents needed to put the recall on a citywide ballot. He said he hopes the campaign will gather 50,000. Wurster filed paperwork Tuesday with the city Auditor's Office, giving his campaign 90 days to gather the signatures.

Oregon's 2008 Recall Manual states that before collecting signatures, the chief petitioner must review all of the requirements and guidelines for circulating the recall petition with the people who will be circulating it.

"That covers our bases against anticipated legal maneuvering by Adams to discount signatures, if he comes back and says we didn't comply." Wurster said. "It also is a way to make aware to our signature collectors the ethical construct of this campaign."

Adams had a sexual relationship with a teenage legislative intern in 2005 when he was a city commissioner but repeatedly denied it when rumors surfaced during the run-up to the 2008 mayoral election. He easily won election last May, then acknowledged under pressure in January that he lied about the relationship and asked the intern to lie, too.

In his filing, Wurster said the campaign was set up because Adams lied for political gain. Wurster said he wants to stress that collectors should not take signatures from people discriminating against Adams for his sexuality.

"This is a campaign based on civic participation, positive campaigning and holding Adams accountable for his civic and ethical transgressions to get elected," Wurster said.